Bulletin Column
for January 5, 2020
This
weekend we celebrate the Epiphany! But who were these mysterious Magi who came
from the East? Here are some things you may not know about the Magi!
- Magi
comes from the word “magus” in Greek, which in turn was borrowed from the Old
Persian “Magus”. The Magus referred to a priestly class of the Zoroastrian
religion in ancient Persia. Zoroastrians were unique in the ancient world in
that they were monotheists, which was quite a radical idea – very different
from the Greeks, Babylonians, Romans, and Egyptians that surrounded them, who
worshipped multiple gods! Zoroastrians also had a concept of the Messiah, of
heaven and hell, and many other similarities to Christianity. These Zoroastrian
priests were close to encountering the True Faith because of their own pagan
beliefs – God had been preparing them for the Truth through their own religion,
so it’s no wonder that God chose them to come and encounter the Messiah in Bethlehem!
- Magi
is also where we get our English word “magic”, since these priests were skilled
in astrology.
- These
magi were not “kings” – there is no
Scriptural evidence for this!
- We do
not know how many magi visited the Lord! Christian culture has always posited
three solely because they brought three gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
- The
traditional names of Melchior, Caspar, and Balthazar are not mentioned anywhere
in the Bible. They come from a sixth-century tradition originating from
Alexandria, Egypt. In other branches of the Catholic Church (for example,
Syrian or Ethiopian) they have other names.
- A very
ancient tradition (dating to the 300s) posits that the three wise men were
martyred for their newfound faith in Christ. Their relics were held in Milan
for several centuries before being moved to the cathedral in Cologne, Germany,
where they reside to this day.
- The
three gifts were of great value in the ancient world, and would be commonly
given to a king. Gold was the most valuable metal. Frankincense is an aromatic
incense made from the dried sap of the Boswellia
tree, which is found in Africa, the Arabic peninsula, and India/southern Asia.
It would be burned for its sweet-smelling smoke. Myrrh is a similar resin made
from the Commiphora tree, native to
north-eastern Africa and the Arabic peninsula. It has antiseptic properties and
was often used in ancient medicine as a mouthwash or made into a tincture to
heal wounds. It also has mild painkilling properties.
- The
three gifts were also highly symbolic in Christ’s life. We speak of Jesus as the Christ which is actually a title
(not His last name!), as Christ means “Anointed One”. In the Old Testament,
three groups of people were anointed with oil for their special role: priests,
prophets, and kings. To call Jesus “the Christ” means that Jesus fulfills all
three roles perfectly – He is the perfect High Priest who offers Himself in
sacrifice, He is the fulfillment of all Prophets who speak on behalf of God and
call Israel back to faithfulness, and He is the True King of Israel. These
three gifts correspond with each of the three roles: gold was fitting tribute
for the King of Kings; frankincense would be offered by the High Priest in
worship; and myrrh, the bitter ointment, would richly symbolize the bitter
death that Christ would suffer, as all of the prophets before Him did.
-
“Epiphany” means to have a revelation. This is a hugely significant day,
theologically, because this is the first time that a non-Jew recognizes the
Messiah. It shows that Jesus came to bring salvation to the entire world, not
just to His people.
- The
three Wise Men did not visit Jesus in
the manger. Luke’s Gospel is clear that they visited Jesus and Mary in a house – because this did NOT happen
on the day of Christmas but probably several days or weeks later. More than
likely, the Holy Family would have had time to find adequate lodging by then!
-
Throughout the world, the Feast of Epiphany is celebrated with many unique
traditions! Hispanic countries often bake a “King Cake” (similar to the one
made for Mardi Gras) which feature a miniature Baby Jesus baked into it – if
you get the little plastic Jesus, you are supposed to win a prize! Others ask
the Wise Men to bless their house by writing “2020 C+M+B” in chalk above their
doorframe (for the year and the first letters of the names of the Wise Men –
although it can also refer to Christus
mansionem benedicat – “Christ bless this home”). Finally, others light
multiple candles on this day, in remembrance of Christ being the light of the
nations.
Happy
Epiphany!
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